Okay – I don’t mean “banned” as dramatic as that. I’m not trying to sound like The Sun after three pints of Stella and a packet of pork scratchings while desperately chasing clickbait outrage. Let’s go with ineligible.
Everyone on planet darts just knows how good Beau Greaves is. At this point, saying she’s talented feels a bit like announcing water is wet. As a teenager, the Doncaster sensation claimed the Lakeside Women’s World Championship twice – then just for kicks – made it three on the bounce the following year. Most players spend their entire careers chasing one world title like crackheads hunting a free hit. Beau collected her few before most people her age could even drive.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg but a youngster who plays with all the stress of someone who’s nipping out to buy a loaf of bread. No visible panic. No drama. No throwing shapes like a footballer who’s just won a corner. She strolls around the stage looking less pressured than a retired bloke feeding ducks in a park.
After a breath-taking 2025 campaign on the Development Tour, Beau secured her PDC Tour Card which meant WDF participation was blocked. It seems a shame but between the two organisations they have a kind of “if she’s your friend, she can’t be mine too” situation going on. Very Year 9 school girls’ toilets chat – but there you have it. However, after conquering Lakeside for three consecutive years, it was a case of already got that t-shirt – don’t need another. Probably got the commemorative mug and fridge magnet too. That said, it wouldn’t be totally surprising to learn that’s precisely what the WDF handed out to the runner-up.
So this year, the Yorkshire phenomenon started her professional life in the big league. We only had to wait a few months until she began breaking records – naturally, all her own – then did what was a couple of decades ago, unthinkable and won a Players Championship. No fluke. No jammy draw. No opponents suddenly forgetting where treble 20 is. Just Beau doing Beau things. Sheer class.
If you had a time machine and went back to the 1980s, arrived in a BDO board meeting and exclaimed a woman would be triumphant in a field of the 128 best darts players on the planet, they’d have probably thrown their pipe and pint of bitter at you before muttering something furious about “the integrity of the game” through a thick cloud of Embassy Number One smoke. One bloke would’ve collapsed into his scampi fries. Bless their misogynistic souls!
Yet, as soon as Greaves got a Tour Card, most expected her to do it. Maybe not quite as soon but the fact no one was overly surprised is testament to her brilliance. That’s how frighteningly good she is. People reacted to her winning a Players Championship the same way people react to rain in Britain. Mild acknowledgement followed by carrying on with their day.
All that takes us nicely onto the PDC Women’s Series – one she is dominating like a lone sunbed salon in a chavvy village. In fact, on that circuit, Beau has won more titles than Prince Andrew has lost. Some weekends the rest of the field must feel like a turkey meeting Bernard Matthews for a coffee and chat.
But as far as those regular ladies’ tournaments, there is one person who can beat her – Beau herself! Lost? Okay I shall explain. If the 22-year old reaches the top 64 on the PDC Order of Merit, she won’t be eligible to compete. Less welcome than a bloke after several ops and a name change.
Seems unfair. The PDC have the same guidelines for those on the Development Tour. Once you are established on the main circuit and deemed “good enough”, you can’t play there. Fair enough. That makes sense. But this is the Women’s Tour. Beau could win ten World Championships on the bounce, average 115 every weekend and arrive at events carried on a golden throne by chanting followers – she will still be female so in my opinion, it’s absolute bollocks. But there you have it I guess. The powers that be do occasionally make decisions with all the clarity of a drunk uncle assembling IKEA furniture.
At time of going to press, Greaves had already won the opening event of the latest PDC Women’s Series – and was going strong in the next. Which for everybody else on the tour is about as encouraging as seeing your satnav reroute you directly into a river.
Right now, she’s a good few bob off cracking that top 64. Not many break into that in the first year, let alone first few months. Yet given the fact Beau is shit hot and already won one of these bad boys – at some point this year, she won’t be allowed on the ladies-only circuit. Crap hey?
You can almost hear the champagne corks popping amongst those who regularly compete on them. Nothing personal as the Doncastrian (I’m having that) is extremely popular – but they’d probably like the opportunity to win titles and with Beau gone, that’s like removing the mother of all pikes from a pond full of goldfish. Right now turning up to a Women’s Series event with Beau in the draw must feel a bit like arriving at a barbecue only to discover the local slimming club have been invited too.
